Avenged Sevenfold Bus

12:15 PM

It was quiet on the Avenged tour bus. Synyster was on the top level fiddling with his guitars. Zacky was asleep on his bunk muttering to himself in his sleep. Shadows and The Rev were sitting on the lower level just relaxing. Johnny was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, Shadows’ head jerked up from the magazine he was reading, muscles tightening.

The Rev who lounged opposite him glanced over, frowning. “What is it, Matt?”

The big male growled low slamming his hand against the wall and swinging his head around to stare towards the back of the bus; Johnny came out of the tiny washroom just as he did as if silently summonsed.

Wiping his hands on his pants he tilted his head toward the vampire. “Master?”

Shadows stood and padded toward the Were stopping directly in front of him and glaring at him. “I want Pierre. Here. Now.”

Johnny blinked slowly. He did not have to ask why the master vampire was ordering him to do this. It was pretty damned obvious; he had sensed what Shadows had. Pierre Bouvier had raped, killed and fed from four virgins in the past two days and each time his soul had slipped further into the darkness.

Still, he asked at any rate, just to get clarification. “Why?”

Shadows groaned smearing his hands over his face. “He just attacked another human female...”

Johnny shifted nervously on his feet. “Where is he?”

Shadows closed his eyes then lowered his hands, unhooking his shades from where they hung at the neck of his muscle-shirt. “TRL studios. The band’s there.”

Johnny nodded and stepped back, steeling his nerves. “Right...I’ll get going then.”

Shadows caught hold of his left arm and pegged the Were with a warning glare. “One thing, Christ.”

“Yes, master?”

The master vampire’s gaze hardened. “Don’t play me. You get him and bring him here, understand? No fucking around.”

Johnny nodded; swallowing passed a lump that had formed in his throat, Adam’s apple bobbing slowly. “Understood.”

Shadows released his arm, and then scowled a thought coming to him. “While you’re at it, bring Serena.”

The Were tensed. “Huh?”

The master vampire gave a slow, cold smile. “You found her. Bring her here as well.”

Johnny shivered, stomach clenching, fear welling deep inside. “How did you find out...?”

Shadows snarled. “I see all. Don’t think you can hide anything from me, pup.”

The Were bowed his head in response, then scratching at his face, stepped back and breathed out roughly. “Right...well...I’ll bring them both here...”

The master vampire walked back to his seat opposite The Rev and slumped back down, waving a dismissive hand.

Johnny closed his eyes but just as he was about to disappear, The Rev caught at his mind speaking urgently. Whatever you do...when you find Pierre...don’t bring him back here...

Johnny bit at his bottom lip. If I disobey Shadows...

The Rev was insistent though. Just don’t bring him back here...take his mother to him...but...don’t...don’t bring him back here...or her, for that matter...

Johnny sighed and gave a barely perceptible nod of his head then vanished without another thought.

* * * * *

Johnny appeared in the small hideout that Alpha was using. The elder Werewolf was not there but Sherry was seated on a low couch reading a book.

Her head lifted when she sensed the younger Were entering the room. “Johnny?”

The Halfling nodded sitting opposite her. “Hey...” His voice was tense.

Sherry noticed and tilted her head toward him. “Is something wrong?”

Instead of answering, Johnny leaned his head back and stared up at the line of single bulbs dangling from the ceiling. He held his body stiffly, afraid to relax. Sherry frowned but then turned her head sharply to the side as a door that lead further into the set of buildings they were in swung open.

Johnny’s head lifted just as they both heard a sharp female voice cursing in a mix of French and English words. “Tabernac...that shit...I can’t believe-” The voice cut off abruptly an air of shock filling the room.

Luna Sanders halted in the doorway staring at the young male sitting on the sofa. Johnny stared back at her, eyes equally as surprised.

Sherry glanced between the two of them, brow furrowed. Her unspoken question was answered moments later as the younger female dropped the bags of shopping she was holding and took several faltering steps forward and sank to her knees in front of Johnny.

“Son...” Her usually crisp, steady voice wavered uncontrollably.

Johnny sat there stunned unable to respond, just swallowing repeatedly, Adams’ apple bobbing nervously. Luna shook her head and reached out hesitantly to press a hand to his left knee. She held it there briefly then pulled it back, pressing the same hand to her mouth.

Tears began to trickle from her eyes and down her face. “Johnny...”

He cleared his throat taking in the female’s appearance: Eyes travelling from her long mahogany hair, to the deep brown eyes that were so similar to his, over her slender frame to her trembling hands.

Then he brought his gaze back to hers. “Mother...” He gulped, voice catching. He smeared his hands over his face, a shiver running through his body. “What are you doing here?” His voice ached, throat seizing up. He rubbed at his neck, fingers kneading the tattoo that was inked there on the left side.

Luna laughed sadly. “Do you not remember? I was sent here...by...Matthew.”

Johnny bit at his bottom lip as a memory surfaced that he had forgotten. When he had first become Shadows’ slave, his mother had somehow gotten tangled into the mix. The master vampire had found it in his heart to spare her as well, considering she was a vampire herself, and sent her away to Montreal to be with Johnny’s Were kin.

Luna saw the thoughts passing across her son’s face and smiled weakly. “Oh, Johnny...there are some things I need to tell you...but...” She paused and glanced toward Sherry then back at her son. “You’re here for another reason, eh?”

Johnny nodded reluctantly. It had been over eighty years since he had last seen his mother and he just wanted to listen to her talk, but he had a job to do. And he had to change his plans once again. There was no time for him to contact Pierre and ask him if it were alright for him to bring Sherry to see him. He had to do this off the cuff, otherwise Shadows would get suspicious.

He sighed, and looked to Sherry. The small female curled on the other couch, sucking absently at a fang.

“Serena...um...we have to go...and see Pierre.” He scratched his cheek. “Well, I have to take you to meet him.”

Sherry blinked at him, deep brown eyes filled with a rising amount of fear. “Why? Has something happened?”

Johnny clenched his fist tightly thinking on what The Rev had said. He chewed at his bottom lip, worrying it just as a dog would worry a bone.

Then he came to a decision and looked back at her. “Shadows told me to bring Pierre and you to him...”

“What?” Sherry stood in a rush and held her hands out. “No! You cannot...”

The Were shook his head, holding a hand up to quiet her protest. “I won’t. The Rev told me not to...under no circumstance...” Johnny scowled. “I don’t know what that was about.”

Luna spoke up. “I think I do.”

Johnny swivelled his head to his mother. “How would you know?”

The female met his questioning gaze making her own decisions as she studied his face. “Jimmy is not the male you think he is, Johnny.” She paused, rubbing at her lower lip. “He has made many promises...most of them to Matthew.” Luna tilted her chin up, expression becoming grave. “But, he made me two promises.”

Johnny frowned deeply. “Why would he promise you anything?”

Luna laughed quietly finally speaking words she had never spoken in the centuries she had lived. “He gave his heart to me.” She looked up at her son. “He loved me...even when I was with your father...he loved me as only as a strongly bonded male can.” She shook her head slowly, a look of distant disbelief in her eyes. “He was every bit Matthew’s creature...but...” Luna stopped and met Johnny’s shocked expression. “Son, I guess I should tell you something I never told you when you were young.”

“What’s that?” He leaned towards her, expectantly. The younger female licked at her lips casting a sideways glance at Sherry. The other female had averted her gaze giving the two of them a semblance of privacy.

Luna shifted on her knees and sighed wearily. “My maiden name is Luna Amyrilla Sanders...Shadows...Matthew...is my older brother.”

The colour drained from Johnny’s face. “No...that’s not possible...” His voice was a mere whispered hiss.

Luna trembled but nodded firmly. “It’s the truth, Johnny. Matt...Matt spared me not because you asked him to...but because I’m his little sister.”

Johnny stood abruptly and began to pace, the information slowly sinking into his mind. The implications of the knowledge sent his mind into a spin. “God...you’re...you’re serious, aren’t you?” He looked at her.

Luna’s responding expression was grave. There was no need for her to answer, it was written all over her face. Johnny groaned, but then shook it off and turned his eyes to Serena. He didn’t have time to ponder what his mother had just told him. No matter what questions those would have to wait. He had to do what he had come to do. Then he could worry about his own personal issues.

He cleared his throat, meeting his friend’s bright stare. “We have to go now.”

Serena lifted her chin, rising to her feet, and folding her hands in front of her. “I’m ready.”

“Right, well...come on then.” Johnny moved close and gently took hold of her arm; then with a barely perceptible nod of his head to his mother he vanished them from the hideout.

TRL Studios

Backstage

1 PM

“Pierre? Pierre? Pierre!? Fuck...” Patrick thrust his way into the cubicle that Pierre had locked himself in and froze at the scene that confronted him. Holy shit...

Pierre lifted his head from the broken body still hanging limp between his body and the wall.

He scowled when he recognised his friend. “What the fuck are you doing back here Langlois?”

Pat snorted harshly in response. “Might ask the same of you, Bouvier. But, that would be pretty fuckin’ pointless.”

Pierre chuckled and withdrew allowing the girl’s body to fall to the floor, readjusting his jeans and buckling his belt. Pat grimaced then sighed shaking his head and clicking his tongue softly.

Pierre’s eyebrows lifted in surprise as, with a soft pop, the body disappeared and the blood that had spilt on the floor vanished. “How in Hell...?”

The Were growled. “You won’t be able to do that.” His lip pulled up savagely. “That’s why your kind enslaved ours.”

Pierre frowned and leaned back against the cubicle wall.

Pat stared hard at him, nostrils flaring. “That girl...she was a virgin.”

“So?”

Pat just shook his head. “So nothing.” He sighed wearily. “I don’t have time to get in a fight with you...just...come back to the dressing room.”

Pierre cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowing. “The others’ are waiting for me?”

Pat glowered hard at his friend. “Chuck’s becoming suspicious. The others, fortunately for them, are not so observant.”

The vampire sighed wearily and moved out of the cubicle, going to one of the basins and turning on the tap, splashing cold water into his face. Pat was about to speak again when he tensed and turned his head away, eyes slitting.

Pierre frowned toward him. “What is it?”

Pat glanced at his friend, lips turned down in a grim expression. “Johnny...he wants us to meet us at a bar in town.”

Pierre cocked an eyebrow and asked, “When?”

The Were glanced at his watch. “Half an hour.”

“What about the band though?”

Pat rubbed his face. “We’ll just have to tell them...something. Make something up.”

Pierre sighed, “You do it...I’ll meet Johnny at the bar.”

The Were and the vampire met each other’s gaze full on then at that instant, gauging the situation, and then Pat nodded and swung around to exit the girls’ bathroom. Pierre shut his eyes and focused on Johnny’s whereabouts disappearing in a flash.

L’Orange Bar

Same Time

Sherry folded her hands in front of her, eyes darting warily around the interior of the bar. Johnny stood directly to her left, hand resting gently on her left shoulder. She glanced at him; he could see anxiety in her deep brown stare.

“Serena?”

Sherry shook her head and lowered her chin against her chest.

He caught hold of her chin and tilted it up. “Everything’s going to be fine, sweetie.”

The female hunched up her shoulders still shaking her head. She couldn’t believe her friend, but neither could she bring herself to tell him what she was so afraid of. However, Johnny knew her well enough to know that something was seriously bothering her.

So he took her gently by the arm and led her over to a table to sit. “Tell me, what’s up?”

Sherry rested her face in her hands, breathing deeply. “Something...something’s going to happen...”

Johnny scrunched up his face. “Whaddya mean?”

Lowering her head even more, she just shook her head.

The young Were sighed and stood. “Look, I’m going to grab a drink...just stay here, okay?”

Sherry nodded and propped her chin on her arms. Johnny tilted his head noticing that somehow she had lightened her hair to a soft milk chocolate hue, and her skin was a little warmer in tone. He shook his head at that realising she must be trying to disguise herself. Turning he wandered away to the bar, leaving Sherry to herself.

The female closed her eyes and just relaxed but then she heard a footstep beside her. Her eyes snapped open and she glanced up, recognising the figure standing next to her table. However, he didn’t seem to recognise her and just tilted his head smirking faintly. She noted a hint of evil to the smile and shivered.

“Hello there, pretty...mind if I join you here?”

Sherry swallowed hard staring at the male and hoping that Johnny would hurry up and join her. Still, she could not be rude; she had been brought up well.

Nodding slightly, she forced a smile on her lips, concealing her fangs. “Um...sure...”

Pierre slid onto the chair opposite and gazed in wonder-lust at the female. He had seen her as soon as he’d entered the bar, and even though he was supposed to be looking for Johnny and his mother...he couldn’t help but approach her. After all, there was time enough to find the young Were.

“So...you here alone?”

A chill raced down Sherry’s spine. Her son was extremely male, extremely dangerous; power oozed from his pores, and those deep brown eyes that mirrored her own...they held deadly promises. She bit at her bottom lip, even though she knew that would probably draw him on.

Pierre smirked, nostrils flaring faintly. Leaning over the table, resting his inked left arm against it, he flashed his teeth at her. Sherry noticed that he also concealed his fangs, so she wouldn’t see them. However, obviously he must realise she was one of his kind. He had to, right?

“Well?”

Hearing him speak was surreal. Sherry had never imagined that his voice would sound so smooth, so rich...it didn’t remind her of Shadows, not in the least. Pierre was definitely his own person. But, there was still some of his father in him, and that worried her immensely.

She shook her head slightly.

Pierre’s gaze narrowed as he glanced behind her. “Come with someone?”

Sherry nodded slightly.

The male snorted. "You even talk, sweetie?”

“Uh...yes...I do..just...not a lot...”

Pierre tilted his head staring at her. Sherry tucked her head down unable to meet his gaze. It was too unnerving. Suddenly he was right behind her, his body pressed close behind her chair, crowding her. She gasped and jumped slightly, holding her hand to her heart.

He slid a hand around her neck and leaned close inhaling her scent. “Mmmm...you smell nice...”

Sherry stiffened hearing the lust in Pierre’s voice. Damn it...hurry up, Johnny....

Pierre growled low and grabbed at her arm, pulling her up out of the chair.

Sherry tensed even more, heart rate increasing, pounding in her chest. Not good...not good...Johnny...Johnny...hurry up...

She glanced at the big male. Pierre’s eyes had gone black. She trembled, vaguely thinking that he wasn’t as big as Shadows. But, still he was much larger than her. And that would not bode well for her, if she let him take her.

Darting her eyes quickly around the bar, she did the only thing she could. She vanished, right from in front of her son, and as she did so, she allowed her disguise to slip, and, she wiped the minds of any human who happened to be close by.

The last things she heard were Johnny’s voice yelling out to her: “SERENA!”

And Pierre’s shocked response. “Merde! That was my mother?!”

Sherry sighed sadly, feeling a tear slide down her face as she completely disappeared. Yes...my son...that is who I am...

Notes