After their outstanding performance at Eugi's Hot Fuss had been signed to Bridgeport Records and their star meters had risen rapidly.
Jonny and Curt couldn't go anywhere without being recognised and they had a loyal following of groupies.
Pauly and Sheeni were fast becoming a golden couple, they were constantly on the guest list of all the hottest parties.
Their producer was an upcoming talent at the record label by the name of Anton Presley.
He had the band in the studio day and night rehearsing and recording.
Pauly had written a number of tracks and Anton had created a distinct sound and style to compliment them perfectly.
He worked into the small hours of the morning remixing the tracks until he was sure he had produced a smash hit!
The next day he got a visit from Suzy Strummer, a record exec. He played her the headline track "No vacancy"
Suzy loved it! She knew a money spinner when she heard one.
She called her assistant and told her to make the arrangements for a launch party for the album.
On the night of the launch the band performed "No vacancy" for the record bigwigs and a select few journalists and received a raptuous applause.
After the performance Suzy made a bee-line for Jonny, there was something about his stage presence that made him magnetic. He had star quality by the bucket load.
They started dancing together and Jonny was pretty sure that Suzy was throwing him some flirty looks, she kept brushing up against him as they swayed together.
It had been a long day for the band with press statements and interviews and although the launch party was stocked with food and champagne there was no plasma juice on offer - and Jonny was thirsty.
Jonny excused himself and headed for the door, he could feel the thirst taking over and knew he needed to get home fast.
"You're not leaving already are you?"
Suzy had followed him out, she seemed almost angry that he was leaving, maybe she thought he was rebuffing her advances.
"Sorry Suzy it's just been a long day" He explained.
As he tried to leave she grabbed his arm, he spun around angry that she was being so persistent and glared at her.
As he glared something strange began to happen, he didn't know what it was but the harder he stared the louder her thoughts became.
Jeez this woman thinks of nothing but money!
He realised he could not only read her mind but he could control it too and as the desire to feed swelled in him Suzy raised her arm.
She offered her vein
and Jonny quenched his thirst.
As soon as he finished drinking he new that the link between them had been broken and Suzy now had full clarity.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she yelled, "How dare you attack me, I'll make sure you and your pathetic band never make it in this town."
She stormed back into the party, Jonny panicked and turned and ran for the door.
The next day the gossip columns were ripe with the scandal that Jonny Traytor had attacked someone, the word around town was he was a vampire!
Anton had been sent to tell the band that the deal was off and the album was to be shelved.
He was furious that all his hard work had been for nothing.
Pauly pleaded with him.
"Please just talk to Suzy, you said it yourself she loved the album" he begged
"Look I'll talk to her, maybe i can get her to see what a money spinner this is but there's no way she's ever gonna let Jonny in the studio again."
Anton knew it wasn't Pauly's fault - he could see that Jonny was a loose canon.
"Don't worry about Jonny, I'll take care of it." Pauly promised.
Later that day Jonny took a call from Curt asking him to come over.
He knew it was bad but if he could just explain himself to the band and try to make them understand that he was still trying to get to grips with being a vampire - i mean it's not as though he had a user manual for his powers.
As soon as he walked through the door Pauly was all in his face telling him he had screwed up all their careers.
Jonny tried his best to tell his side of things but Pauly just would not listen.
"From day one i knew you were trouble, i should never have given you a shot" Pauly yelled.
"After how you treated Sheeni i should have kicked you out then!" he added.
"Pauly come on...." Jonny started but Pauly cut him off
"I don't want to hear it Jonny. If you want to self destruct then you go do it on your own man. You're OUT!"
Jonny didn't know what to say, he waited for Curt or Sheeni to step in and say something but they both just hung back looking anywhere but at him.
"Well i guess you've all made up your minds then."
Jonny said bitterly
"If you think you can make it without me then be my guest, but i promise you you're making a big mistake."
"You were the only mistake i made" Pauly hissed "Now get out!"
Jonny stormed out slamming the door behind him.
He walked to the rivers edge and looked out at the city. He remembered the first day he had showed up at their door, seeing the same view then had made his dreams of fame seem so much closer.
Now looking out to Bridgeport they seemed so far away.
"Jonny" Curt called out, he had followed Jonny outside.
"Jonny come on man I'm sorry, but there was nothing i could do." he explained.
"Like hell , you could have said something, anything! How could you just stand there?" Jonny yelled.
"It's not my decision Jon, I'm just here to play bass you know Pauly calls the shots." Curt explained
"Maybe so but i thought you had my back."
Jonny sighed, he knew he was being unfair to Curt, all Curt wanted out of life was beer, women and bass playing, he didn't go much deeper than that.
But Jonny couldn't forgive his friends disloyalty
"I'm done with this band Curt and I'm done with you!" Jonny spat.
He pushed past a shocked Curt and walked away.
Jonny walked back to his home at the top of the hill, past all the million simolean homes of the movie stars and pop stars.
He had lost his girlfriend his career and his best friend in the blink of an eye and he had no idea where his life was going.
It had been months since he had heard from or seen Summer, he guessed she must of had her baby by now. She was probably shacked up with the kids dad feeding him the same line she had fed him.
But Summer had been forced into a corner - she had hoped that her baby was Toms or Devins, anyone but Jonny's. But as soon as she had seen her daughter she knew,
There was no mistaking whose she was!
She had named her Audra and had listed the father as unknown on the birth certificate.
Summer knew what her daughter was, she had the same glowing eyes and pale skin as Jonny. She was a monster too!
Summer moved to the outskirts of town, she never let Audra out, she couldn't bare the shame of people knowing what she had created.
She could only hope that one day there would be a cure, until then Audra would remain her secret.
Chapter1.3
Summer woke up next to Jonny that morning.
He was in such a deep sleep that she could not wake him. No matter what she tried.
Instead of showing concern Summer was just angry - how dare he ignore her!
A sudden wave of nausea hit her and she ran to the bathroom
Urgh, that was all she needed.
As usual Jonny's bathroom was dirty in fact his whole place was vile!
Even though it disgusted Summer she was hoping it would all pay off soon, i mean how long could it be before his stupid band took off and Jonny started bringing home mega bucks?
Then she would finally start living in the lap of luxury, just like she deserved.
And if Jonny wasn't her meal ticket there was always Tom the star athlete in the making or Devin the TV actor, Summer had a lot of options!
Summer crept out of Jonnys place and headed over to her new client who was in dire need of a makeover.
She was hopeful that she wouldn't have to suffer being a stylist for much longer, her clients were so clueless.
But there were some perks afterall she could do this.......
Giving bad makeovers always made Summer feel better!
Meanwhile back at Jonny's......................
He was really starting to freak out! He had never felt so strange before.
It felt like he was dying.
He picked up the phone and called Curt
"Hey man I really need some advice can you come over?"
Curt came straight away, and Jonny realised just what a good friend he had.
He decided to come clean and told Curt all about the events of the night before.
Curt could see that Jonny was losing it so he decided to lighten the mood
and it worked!
The two friends laughed and Jonny's mood lightened.
Curt stayed with him all day distracting him with tales of his latest conquest.
Mimi was a groupie who had a thing for Bass players! Curt was particularly impressed with her.......assets!
They talked and laughed the day away, but as the sky turned dark Jonny started to feel a heat rising up inside him.
It felt as though a million daggers were stabbing his heart.
The heat raged so fiercely that he ran outside to get some air.
The cool breeze on his skin barely calmed the fire within him.
Suddenly the fire started to take over, it rose up inside him until he could hold it no longer and it burst forth spilling over and swirling around him as Curt looked on.
Jonny felt the life drain from him, he finally gave way to the red haze.
Throwing back his head and embracing the pain he felt a new sensation.
An overwhelming sense of power surged through his body, he felt invincible.
As the red mist faded he looked at the world as though for the first time through new eyes.
Curt looked on at first in horror, he knew what his friend had become, he'd seen it before.
When he first moved to Bridgeport he too had ventured to the wrong part of town and there he had seen them and their strange glowing eyes.
As he looked at Jonny now it was unmistakable - he was a vampire!
There was no hiding it, so Curt encouraged Jonny to tell the rest of the band.
Sheeni took one look at Jonny's eyes and turned away in shock - how could he have done this to himself?
Pauly jumped back from him in fright
And then regarded him angrily - How could he do this to the band?
They had just booked their biggest gig to date at the up and coming lounge Eugi's, it would open them up to a whole new audience and Pauly had arranged for a talent scout from Bridgeport records to come and watch them.
It was too late for them to pull out now the gig was starting in just over an hour.
He snarled at Jonny "Don't screw this up for us"
As the band took to the stage the vibe in the club was sorely lacking.
Hot Fuss had built up a loyal following from playing the dive bar scene, unfortunately Eugi's had a much higher standard of clientele and most of their fans had been turned away.
They started to play their opening track.
Jonny could feel the music as though it were tangible, he could almost taste the atmosphere as it built in the club. The energy swelled up in him and he started to play with a passion he had never experienced before.
The energy seemed to come to life and it flowed from him infecting the rest of the band.
They rocked out like never before.
The crowd went wild and Hot Fuss had become the next big thing!
After the gig the talent scout wasted no time in offering Hot Fuss a record deal.
Meanwhile back at Jonny's house Summer had let herself in and.....
Summer had some news for Jonny!
After feeling sick all day she had ditched work and gone to see her doctor who had confirmed that she was expecting her first child!
She was pretty sure it was Jonny's - at least 30% anyway!
Jonny was feeling more alive than he ever had, something about the night time fed him energy.
As he raced to his front door he suddenly realised, he hadn't seen Summer all day, and more importantly she hadn't seen him.
What would she make of his current predicament?
He hesitated before entering.
When he thought about it he realised he knew very little about Summer other than that she was insatiable!
He had no idea how she would take the news but he knew he had to find out.
As he approached her Jonny noticed she was not looking herself. Summer wore a baggy T-shirt and track pants! He had never seen her dressed down before.
Summer couldn't summon the courage to look him in the eye as she muttered "I'm pregnant"
Jonny was dumbstruck - he hadn't expected that!
"Well say something" Summer said as she looked up at him.
As she took in Jonny's new image she recoiled in horror
"What have you done?" she yelled
"Summer please.." Jonny started but Summer cut him off
"My god look at you, you're a freak" she screamed
"Summer please, calm down think about our baby" Jonny pleaded.
"Ha, our baby" she sneered "I didn't say it was yours" she laughed
"What do you mean?" Jonny pleaded
"Oh, poor Jonny, you didn't really think you were the only one did you?"
Jonny stepped back. He was in shock - how could she do this to me - he thought.
He felt the anger stirring inside him, it rose up and despite his efforts he could not contain it.
He opened his mouth to yell at her but a low deep growl escaped instead as instinctively he bared his teeth.
Summer screamed, she pushed past him and ran out of the door.
Jonny tried his hardest to get his anger in check but the rage kept boiling inside him.
He managed to stagger to the bedroom and push the drawers up against the door to stop himself from chasing after her.
He didn't trust himself to be around Summer, right now he felt like hurting her the way she had hurt him.
Summer ran as fast as she could from the house as a million thoughts ran through her head.
What had Jonny become?
How could he be so selfish?
And what if this was his baby?
Would it turn out to be a monster too?
Tune in next time to find out!
