Chapter Three

As the years went on, Adam’s late nights at the club became routine as did his lying about being there. It started out monthly and progressed slowly to every week. His could never remember much past entering the club and listening to Kao’s songs but he continued to go despite this.
Sara dealt with the problem by confrontation at first but after that didn’t help she just went about her day to day in hopes that her love comes back to her. She blamed herself for his being out all night, she figured he felt whipped by him when she confronted him all those times so she gave in and acted like it was normal for him to be where she had no clue where he was. Any one of these nights he was out she could not reach him on his cell, nor could anyone at the office tell him where he was.
Adam did make it on the board, going out with those members helped him achieve a reputation in the company for being easy company and a great entertainer. He had a light case load and the members gave him their top clients as well as whoever Adam chose to represent. He gave each of his clients respect and the best representation the firm had to offer.

“Mommy, does my dress look pretty?” Justiça asked the morning of her first day of school. At six the girl barely knew her father, and looked to her mother for everything. She was wearing a pink cotton dress with green trim. She wore white sandals with it. Her hair was in plaits on either side of her head and she looked oh so precious. She did a turn and looked up at her mom for an answer.
“Yes, baby, you look lovely,” Sara patted Justiça’s head and went to grab the girl’s bag. “Did you make your bed, guys?” she asked her kids.
“I did,” Justiça replied.
“Oops, I’ll go do it now,” Xavier said.
Sara shrugged and looked at Justiça, “Teenagers.”
“Silly, X. He never does what he’s suppose to do.”
Sara drove them in to school so she could meet with Justiça’s teacher, she also wanted to see about subbing until a spot opened up for her. Her days were now going to be quite dull now that both of her children were in school and the way Adam had been acting, she couldn’t expect to have more children.

That evening, Adam arrived home from work on time, for a change. He was in a pretty bad mood, however.
“Sara, where are my files?” he demanded.
“How am I suppose to know, I don’t touch your things and it isn’t like you would have told me.”
“Oh shut up Sara, you are suppose to keep house, you should know where things are located.”
“Yeah? So I’m suppose to just sit around here, clean and organize your stuff? I’m suppose to know where ALL of your things are? I’m suppose to just hang around and wait for you to call on me to find something for you?” her anger about their failing relationship came out all at once, she was never an angry person, but this was the last straw.
“Yes!” he screamed. He stomped up the stairs to the office he had in the alcove that was built in the hall. He dug around there throwing papers and stuff all over the place, when he still couldn’t find it he stomped back down the stairs and out the door.
After hearing the car door slam and tires screech down the road, Justiça screamed and then started to cry uncontrollably. She had never heard yelling like this before, and it scared her. Xavier came out of his room where he was doing his homework to console her, but she just pushed him away. She was trembling, and just couldn’t understand why her mom and dad would fight this way. When Sara walked in to see to her children Justiça grabbed on to her like there was no tomorrow. She cried in her mother’s arms and Sara just hugged her.
She looked over at Xavier who was sitting on the floor, “Are you ok, honey?”
“Yeah, mom. I just don’t get why he’s acting like this. You guys were so loving and affectionate then he just pushes away. I wish things would go back to how they used to be. I’d much rather see gross kissing between you then him acting like you’ve betrayed him or something. Why is he doing this?”
“I don’t know, I just don’t know,” she replied, “Let’s go get some dinner guys.”
Sara went down to the kitchen to start on dinner. Anything to keep her busy was great for her. She didn’t want to think about Adam, she didn’t want to let her mind wonder. She was trying so hard to figure out what went wrong over the past few years but try as she might nothing came to her. She occasionally thought that maybe there was another woman, or maybe work was just stressing him out; none of those problems would explain why he was being so mean to her and the children. Sometimes she just didn’t want to know.
She pulled out some vegetables and started chopping. Just keep your mind off of it, she lectured herself. She threw the chopped carrots, celery and onions into the pot with hot olive oil and sprinkled in some salt. She pulled out some garlic and after peeling three cloves she set to mincing them. She added the tiny bits to the pot of vegetables that were slowly softening.
“Mommy?” Justiça came in the kitchen, still wiping the tears in her eyes.
“Yes?” Sara turned to her little girl, concern showed on her face, she didn’t know how to explain what was going on to herself, how was she going to do it for Justiça?
“Is daddy coming home?” she sniffled and tried to hold back the tears that were still coming strong.
“Well, hon, it depends. If he comes home acting like he was when he came home earlier, he won’t be staying.”
“Good. He scared me.”
Sara stepped away from the counter where she was preparing their meal and hugged Justiça, “I know baby, he scared me too.”


Adam was still fuming when he walked into the club. He needed to see Kao. She was like an addiction, if he was away from her for more than a few hours he grew restless, irritable and mean. He couldn’t explain why he was so angry, but he knew Kao had something to do with it.
After glancing around the room he realized she wasn’t there. He walked to the bartender and asked if she was due in, and got a head shake and a grunt as a response.
Where was she? He suddenly realized he knew nothing about the woman other than she didn’t smoke and she worked at this club a few nights a week. How on earth could he be so obsessed with a person he hardly knew?
He started walking as the sun was setting, when he stopped he found himself at the beach. It was deserted this time of night, even though the hour was still early, it was spring and the water was still quite cold. There were umbrellas and chairs situated near the calm shore. He sat down in one of the lounges and relaxed back into the seat. He watched the shore until he fell a sleep.
“Hello, my love, why don’t you awaken?” A soft female voice whispered in the night.
Adam opened his eyes to see Kao standing before him. He remembered he’d been looking for her, how did she know where he was?
“Come to me,” she beckoned.
Adam stood up and walked over to her, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him to her. He then placed his arms around her, unconsciously. She laid her head on his shoulder facing his neck. Then she breathed in his scent. Her mouth watered for his taste.
“Dijamant,” she whispered, and started licking Adam’s neck. He groaned with pleasure at her stimulation. She nibbled on his neck and he tightened his hold around her. She was pleasantly surprised by his arousal. She barred her long sharp canine teeth and sank them into his neck.
He gasped, as if he was out of breath and then went completely limp. She held his body’s weight like it was nothing as she drained all but a few drops of his precious life’s blood from his body. She then laid him on the ground and with her pinky finger slit her left wrist open and forced it to his mouth, “Suck!” she demanded of the near lifeless Adam.
His first pulls of her blood were weak attempts, her blood mostly dropped into his mouth. By the time he got a good taste he was suckling like a new born babe at his mother’s breast. She pulled her wrist from him, and patted his head.
“Good, my love,” she whispered to him.
He laid still, unable to move then sudden, sharp pain twisted through his body. Kao held his hand while his body convulsed and thrashed. His body was being reborn this night. After a while he settled.
She stood and offered a hand, he took it. She looked at him, the new Adam. He was still very similar in appearance but for a few very noticeable differences. His hair was now strait, his skin pale. She removed his glasses, and he was able to see as he could not before, even with the aid of the mortal device. He was much thinner now, and he had a certain glow about him. He looked vibrant.
“Come, we have to feed.” She walked over to a red convertible and they both got in.

Sara was cleaning the kitchen. The house was quiet, whit Justiça a sleep and Xavier working on a project for a class. There seemed a gloom over the home. She hummed to herself as she scrubbed the pots and pans.
Adam and Kao walked through the door. Sara heard the noise of the door closing and turned to see them.
“Who is this?” she needed answers.
“None of your concern,” he answered through his teeth.
“Well, if it is none of my concern then please leave my home,” she requested.
“This is my home, Sara. Just like you are my wife. I do not answer to you.”
Sara looked at her husband, it suddenly occurred to her that he was not wearing his glasses, she took him all in at once. He was much different, even in the few short hours that he stormed off from the house. He looked as though he was sick. His skin was tight on his face, his body once healthy looking, looked gaunt. His complexion had changed too, his once pale skin was now nearly white. “What is the matter with you, Adam?” she glanced back at Kao, who was standing behind Adam with her arms crossed and her face set in a scowl.
“Nothing, my dear. Why would you ask. I am feeling better than ever. I see so much clearer now.”
Hearing the voices coming from the kitchen, Xavier came down to make sure his mother was ok. He watched as his father preached to his mother, although he did not like the tone of the conversation, he figured watching was all he could do.
Kao noticed the boy as he stepped through the archway separating the living room from the kitchen. She watched him from the corner of her eye and suddenly became quite famished. She was at his side before anyone saw her move.
“Mmmm,” she purred as she circled Xavier, “You smell absolutely divine.”
“Who are you?” his words were laced with malice.
Instead of answering the boy, Kao grabbed his neck and bent it to better reach his throbbing pulse. Adam watched on as Kao greedily bit into his son’s flesh and drank him to the point of death. Kao dropped the lifeless body and looked at Adam, “Well my dear it’s your turn.” Within a flash she was right next to Adam holding Sara for him, her neck exposed. Adam looked at his wife, no emotion in his eyes, as he grabbed her shoulders and drank of her life force.
Justiça was hiding in the corner of the living room, watching the events take place. A girl of no more than six, witnessed her father and his friend slay her whole family, take away everything she knew. She held her breath until the couple left, leaving their path of destruction for anyone else to come and clean up. She crawled over to her mother and tried to wake her up, “Mommy, Mommy please wake up,” She shook at her mother’s lifeless body, praying that she would awaken. Justiça didn’t know what to do so she laid next to her mother’s lifeless corpse and cried.