Roses and Fangs: ch. 3. Convergence pt. 6.

Sam met Shelly’s eyes. “What about you?” he asked.
The blonde vampire’s eyes flickered from Sam’s to Kara’s and back. “I don’t know,” she replied honestly, “but I don’t base my friends on who or what they are.”
She looked to Kara and tilted her head. “Jacqueline likes you and speaks highly of you. If she considers you friends, then I will too. Whether you decide to consider me one or not is up to the two of you.”
Jacqueline softly spoke up, “Kara, Sam, I know I don’t have the best track record when it comes to judging character, but I trust Shelly really wouldn’t have introduced her to you if I didn’t think she was a good person. I’m sorry I didn’t ask you first.”
Kara leaned over and patted Jacqueline’s hand reassuringly, “Now you know for next time, and it is nice to see you making friends.”
Something chirped and Shelly pulled out her phone looking at it. “I need to call my family,” she looked at Kara, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell them about you. Mom and Dad like to check in on me every week though.”
Kara shrugged. “It wouldn’t even matter if you did, it’s gonna get out eventually.”
Shelly shook her head. “Not from me. Especially not my family. As I said, I consider you a friend.”
She slid back her chair and slid away. “Sam, Kara, it was nice meeting you. I’ll see you around.”
“Nice meeting you too,” Sam said graciously. Kara echoed him.
“I’ll go with you, Shelly if that’s okay?” Jacqueline asked.
“Of course. I could use the support. I love my parents but they can be very… overbearing.” Shelly winced.
Jacqueline collected hugs from Sam and Kara, and then followed her roommate out the door.
Kara resumed eating, wincing as she realized her meal was now nearly room temperature. “Well, she seemed nice enough,” she said at last.
“For a vampire you mean,” Sam finished for her.
Kara shook her head. “Sam, I’m scared of vampires, but that doesn’t mean I hate them all.”
“Are you scared of me?” Sam asked softly.
Kara sighed sadly. “I try not to be, but it’s hard to fight instincts and twenty years of having my parents instilling in me that every vampire I meet will try to kill me.”
Sam wrapped his arm around her and they finished their meals in silence.
***
A couple of days later Jacqueline found herself walking up the hill toward Stuart hall with Trina, a beautiful half-Asian girl with soft brown eyes and dark hair. Though she often seemed very submissive and rarely met anyone’s eyes, or spoke up, Jacqueline found Trina to be a sweet, cheerful girl with a wicked since of humor and a penchant for mischief.
Trina had just finished a story about her latest prank on her roommate with whom Trina was in a good-natured prank war with, when Shelly came up from behind them. “Hey, girls,” Shelly greeted them brightly.
“Hey Shelly,” Jacqueline smiled.
“Hello Shelly,” Trina gave a wave then turned to Jacqueline. “I just remembered I have a report due Monday, and I want to get it done before the weekend. I’ll catch you later, okay?”
Jacqueline blinked, “Um okay.”
Shelly sighed as Trina hurried on ahead. “She’s definitely afraid of me.”
Jacqueline shrugged. “Maybe she just remembered the report.”
Shelly shook her head, “Even, if she does, she’s just using it as an excuse. She is terrified of me, though she hides it well. Most people wouldn’t notice.”
Jacqueline looked over at her friend. “I guess I am one of those people, then. She looked the same to me.”
Shelly bit her lip and lowered her voice slightly. “I’m not sure how much Kara and Sam have told you, but Weres have much better hearing and smell then humans. They can even see in the dark better humans. Vampires don’t have quite as good hearing or smell, though we do have better vision.” She paused and hesitated slightly. “Vampires and weres can smell fear really well. Vampires can also sense things like heart rate and muscle tension.”
Shelly kicked a rock on the pavement venting her frustration slightly. “She was relaxed while she was talking to you. The moment I said hi her heart rate went way up, she tensed up and grew afraid. Her voice changed slightly too.”
“Wow, you guys are like superheroes,” Jacqueline observed. “With all these awesome powers you have.”
Shelly stopped suddenly and grabbed Jacqueline’s arm spinning the girl around till they looked each other in the eyes. “We are not better than you Jackie. We may be stronger, faster, and have senses that are more sensitive then you, but that doesn’t make us better,” She spoke angerly.
“In fact, in many ways it makes us worse. Many of us have an enhanced brutality and savagery to go with those enhanced senses, speed and strength. And we have other weaknesses too. Never forget that Jackie. It just might save your life.” With that, she stalked on ahead while Jacqueline hurried to catch up.