A Devil's Bite

"October 31st, such a weird day…" Jersey Devil thought to himself as he flew over the city, looking down as Main Street slowly became a small fair ground. He angled his wings and landed on the roof of one of the buildings, before dropping down into the alley below and walking out into the street.

"Still, I promised to meet Serena here…" Jersey paused in his thoughts and smiled. "Wow, she and I have only known each other for a couple of months and already I feel like we've been good friends forever. I guess it's nice to know I'm not the only odd-ball in this town… or at least not the only one who's not crazy."

Jersey looked around for Serena as he walked. "I sure hope Knarf doesn't try anything tonight. Serena sure seemed excited about this carnival, even if it does look a bit dull."

"JD!" called a female voice. Jersey looked over and saw Serena running over to him, wearing a blue kimono and carrying a matching fan. He smiled and waved as she came to a stop just in front of him, her hair up in a tight, neat bun with a blue flower pin in it.

"Hey Harps," he said.

"Glad you could make it!" Serena said, grinning. Jersey rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, well… Someone's gotta make sure Knarf doesn't decide to rear his over-sized head!" he said. Serena laughed, then the two started to walk together. Jersey looked around as people of all shapes and sizes wearing the silliest things walked by them. He shook his head.

"This is ridiculous."

"Party pooper." Serena said with a fake pout on her face. Jersey shrugged as the two walked down the street. "You should be glad you can walk around at night without having to hide from people all the time!" Jersey glanced up at a man in a werewolf costume as they passed each other.

"I guess… but why dress up?" he asked. "I just don't see the point of dressing up in order to get candy for free and to scare each other witless! I mean, this city has been through enough scares with Dr. Knarf's mutants and all…"

"Its Halloween, JD!" Serena said with a giggle. "It's a holiday, and only comes once a year!"

"Yeah, I guess," Jersey rolled his shoulders. "I still don't understand the whole concept of trick-or-treating, it's a little bit childish."

"That's because it's for little kids." Serena hid a snicker behind her fan. Jersey rolled his eyes.

"Alright then, new question; what in the world smells so good?" Jersey asked, his head turning as they walked by a funnel cake stand. Serena raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Its called 'Carnival Food', JD."
~<>~
"I take it back," Jersey said between mouthfuls of funnel cake. "This is the greatest!"

"Gosh, JD I can barely make it through one of those, and you've gone through three!" Serena exclaimed. Jersey swallowed.

"The corndogs aren't bad either," he said.

"And you've had four of those!" Serena said, laughing. "Seriously Jersey you're going to get sick from all that!"

"I've got a strong stomach." Jersey replied, finishing off the funnel cake.

"I'm just curious where you put it all…" Serena said, before standing. "I'm gonna go grab something to drink, you want anything?"

"Sure, surprise me!"

"Okay. Now remember, no flying, you're only 'dressed up' as the Jersey Devil."

"Yeah, yeah…" Jersey grumbled and bit into another corn dog. Serena shook her head and walked off into the crowd to a nearby booth.

"I dunno know why Jersey is so negative about Halloween," she said to herself as she took out her wallet. "Its really fun if he'd just give it a—Oof!"

"Oh, I beg your pardon…"

"No, it's my bad!" Serena said, bending down to pick up her wallet. "I should have watched where I was going!" She looked up at the man. His skin was pale white, his hair black and slicked back, and he wore a fairly nice looking old-fashioned suit.

"Wow, great costume!" Serena said, pushing stray strands of her hair out of her face. The man chuckled.

"You're one to talk," he said, suddenly taking Serena's hand and kissing it. She blushed and giggled a bit, thinking this guy was putting on an act as swell as his costume.

"Um… Thanks!" she said, looking up at him.

Upon making eye contact with the stranger, she suddenly found herself unable to look away. The world around her seemed to melt away into red as she felt unnaturally dizzy, almost as if she were going to faint. Her wallet and fan slipped out of her hands as the stranger suddenly began to pull her along gently away from the crowd…

Jersey, meanwhile, managed to grab himself a bit more to eat, and as he walked back to his seat, cast his eyes over to the booth where Serena had gone, but to his surprise, there was no sign of her. Jersey tilted his head and walked over to where he last saw her, thinking maybe she had just gotten mixed into the crowd, however, finding her wallet and fan on the ground changed his mind. He looked around.

"Serena?" he called, walking around a bit, ready to take flight if he had to in order to find her. Something wasn't right; he could feel it in his bones! Jersey glanced down a small alley as he walked, and instantly something caught his eye.

The barrier blocking the alley off had been moved, but this particular alley was a dead end to begin with. Jersey raised an eyebrow and moved past the barrier to look down the alley, freezing at what he saw next. Serena, held bent backwards by a figure with a pair of fangs poised over her neck, and Jersey's mind started to scream 'vampire'! Jersey's wings unfurled and he growled in anger.

The vampire grunted in shock as suddenly, of all things, a corndog bounced off the side of his head. He hissed past his fangs and looked in the direction it had come from, and this time was hit with a caramel apple.

"Hey, fang face!" Jersey hollered, hands cupped at the sides of his mouth. "You hungry? Well why don't you take a bite outta me, instead?!"

The vampire hissed and dropped Serena, who started to come out of the trance. She moved back quickly as the vampire flew at Jersey, who ran around the corner, leading it off. Jersey knew that if he could keep this bloodsucker busy until sunrise, he might have a chance. He leapt off the ground and flapped his wings hard to get to the rooftops, looking back as he heard the vampire hiss and give chase, crawling up the walls like a spider. Jersey flew overtop the buildings and flapped his wings harder, dodging to one side as he heard the vampire roar and jump at him. Jersey turned around and gave a swift kick forward, nailing the vampire under the chin before turning back around and flying onwards. Jersey finally came to a stop and looked around behind him at the empty rooftops.

"Where… where'd he go?" he asked between breaths, unaware of the shadow that rose menacingly behind him…
~<>~
Serena gasped as a pain filled cry split the streets and the air above. It was Jersey, which meant he had to be in trouble. She turned the corner quickly, following where the scream had come from, and stopped with a shriek as the purple figure of Jersey fell from the sky and landed hard on a dumpster. He coughed and groaned in pain as she ran over to him and gently pulled him off the dumpster, helping him to sit against the alley wall.

"JD are you okay?! Where does it hurt?!" she asked. Jersey groaned and reached up with a shaking hand to rub his neck.

"I-I'm okay, Serena, don't worry," he said.

"Are you sure?" Serena asked, then looked at his hand that was at his neck, noticing his brown gloves becoming stained by something. She gasped. "You're bleeding!"

"Yeah?" Jersey pulled his hand away and looked at his glove.

"Let me see!" Serena said, trying to see the wound, however Jersey pushed her hands away.

"Harps," he said with a laugh. "I'm fine, really! Its just a scratch!" Serena frowned at him in worry.

"You promise?" she asked.

"Cross my heart and hope to die!" Jersey said with a smile, and she smiled back. Jersey stood up and patted his stomach. "Now I dunno about you, but I could go for a slice of pizza!"

"Again?!" Serena exclaimed, then laughed and shook her head. "Yep, you're fine!"
~<>~
Jersey left Serena later that night, after finally allowing her to bandage up the wound around his neck. He returned to the abandoned apartment building he called home and flew in through the window, yawning as he landed in front of a beat up mattress that was his bed.

"Man, I'm beat! Guess I'll be going to bed early tonight!" he said, suddenly jumping as his stomach growled. "Whoa! Still hungry? That can't be right…" His stomach growled again, only accompanied by a sharp jolt of pain. Jersey winced and hugged his stomach, taking a few steps forward to his bed and laid down on it.

"I guess Serena was right about eating too much of that carnival food…" he said, then grit his teeth as another wave of pain, worse than the first, hit his stomach and spread through his hole body.

"What's… what's happening to me?" he asked aloud as his vision began to blur. "So… painful… So… tired…"

Jersey closed his eyes and fell limp on the mattress as sleep enveloped him like a heavy blanket wrapping around an infant, though the strange pain followed him into his dreams…
~<>~
The next evening, Serena had work at her night job, but planned to stop by and see Jersey on her way home. As she walked, she looked up at the night sky, unable to stop worrying about Jersey. Even though he had saved her from that vampire, it was still out there, and he had been hurt. Sure he had told her he was fine, yet it didn't help her feeling of concern in the slightest, nor did it help her disbelief that a vampire had attacked her last night. A real vampire! After meeting Jersey and seeing him fight off Knarf's mutants a thing like that shouldn't have surprised her, yet it did.

Finally arriving at the apartment building Jersey called home, Serena slipped in through a back window, as the door was boarded up, and started up the stairs. The building was quieter than usual, and strangely eerier than it had been when Jersey first showed her around. It still had some electricity and water working in some rooms, but even then the lights would flicker and the water was always cold. Serena finally arrived at the correct floor and pushed past a curtain that acted as a door to the hall, then approached where Jersey usually stayed.

"Jersey? Are you here?" Serena asked as she pushed the door open.

The apartment where Jersey usually lurked was empty. The sun was coming up soon, so he wasn't outside at this time, however the strange silence that fell over the room caused a chill to rush down her spine.

"Jersey?" she asked again. "If this is some kind of a joke, its not funny!"

Serena jumped at a creaking sound in the hall behind her. She gulped and stuck her head out of the doorway and looked up and down it. Cautiously she stepped outside and went in the direction of the creak, swallowing a lump in her throat at this feeling of uneasiness.

"Sereeeeennaaaa…" a voice suddenly taunted, making her jump again. It didn't sound like Jersey's voice, which frightened her even more.

"Serena." She gasped and whirled around, finding Jersey standing down the hall from her. She groaned and put a hand to her chest.

"My God, Jersey!" she scolded. "You scared the living daylights out of me! What's the matter with—" Serena stopped in midsentence, staring at Jersey's eyes. Which seemed… strangely redder than before.

"You feeling alright, Serena?" Jersey asked, walking over to her slowly.

"J-Jersey… what's… the matter… with your eyes?" she asked, unaware that she was starting to fall to her knees.

"Nothing… you like them?" Jersey said with a grin. Serena groaned and rubbed her head, trying to come out of the haze she was in. Jersey took hold of her arm as she nearly toppled onto her side.

"J-Jersey…"

"Ssshhh…" Jersey hissed into her ear, pushing her brown hair away from her neck. "Trust me…" Serena's eyes closed as she slipped out of consciousness, and Jersey grinned, revealing his new fangs. He tilted Serena's head to one side and poised his fangs over her neck to feed…

But something stopped him. A tiny glimmer of light bouncing off of a tear that trailed down Serena's cheek. He couldn't help but stare at it, trying to think of why it was there, and as he stared, he couldn't help but see his reflection in it. Those fangs, those eyes and the look in them… it wasn't him. Jersey shook his head and looked down at Serena.

"W-What am I doing?!" he asked and quickly laid her down on her back. He shook her shoulder slightly. "Serena! Serena, wake up! I'm sorry! Wake up!"

"Nnngh… JD?" Serena opened her eyes. Jersey sighed in relief.

"Oh man, Serena, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!!" he said. Serena sat up and rubbed her head.

"Sorry for what?" she asked, but then her eyes fell on the fangs in his mouth and she gasped. "Y-You're a-a—"

"Vampire…" Jersey grumbled quietly, reaching up to the bandage on his neck and pulling it down a little to show the two little holes in his neck. Serena blanched.

"Jersey…" she said, then sighed and put a hand to her face. "I knew I should have looked at it!"

"What good would it have done?!" Jersey asked before sighing. "I've been bitten and there's no way to change that…"

Serena stayed quiet as Jersey moved back and sat against the wall, rubbing his face with his hands. She looked down for a moment as she wiped away tears that formed in her eyes, before slowly looking up with wide eyes.

"Wait… Maybe there is!" she exclaimed. Jersey looked up at her.

"What?"

"There are tons of books at the library about vampires!" Serena said. "Maybe I can find something on how to change you back to your normal self!"

"What are we waiting for then?!" Jersey said, springing up to his feet.

"No, Jersey, you stay here!" Serena said. "Its almost morning, and if you get caught out in the sun you'll turn to ash!" Jersey groaned.

"Another reason to hate sunlight… Perfect," he said. Serena hugged him.

"It's going to be okay, Jersey," she said. He nodded and hugged her back.

"Thank you, Serena…"

"Just stay here and try to keep out of the sunlight. I'll be back tomorrow night, hopefully with some answers!" Serena said, turning and running out the door. Jersey sighed and returned to his usual haunt, stopping to look at himself in a cracked mirror, only to find nothing. Jersey tilted his head, than rubbed his neck with a groan.

"I forgot, vampires don't have reflections," he said, then sighed. "I sure hope Serena can find something useful…" Jersey looked down and winced as his stomach growled with a twinge of pain. "I don't think I can handle this blood-sucking lifestyle!"
~<>~
Serena spent most of the day at the library, finding all the books on vampire lore and taking notes, looking for links to a way to remove the curse. She also learned where they would most likely find the vampire's lair, and how to destroy him. After gathering what she needed, Serena returned to Jersey's apartment building, running up all six flights of stairs without stopping.

"Jersey?" she asked as she walked into the apartment.

"Harps! You're back!" Jersey said. Serena looked up.

"What are you doing up there?" she asked. Jersey shrugged and dropped from an upside down position on the ceiling.

"Couldn't help myself, it was the only way I could get any shut eye!" Jersey said with a yawn. Serena shrugged

"Well I've got good news! All the research I've done says the same thing." Serena said, looking at her notepad. "The curse of the vampire can be broken, but only if you manage to kill the vampire that bit you before sunrise on the third night after you were bitten."

"That's comforting." Jersey said, scratching at the bandages on his neck.

"Stop that!" Serena warned, and he pulled his hand away. Serena cleared her throat. "Unfortunately this means that we only have tonight to find and kill the vampire that attacked us. Otherwise the curse will be permanent."

Jersey gulped and rubbed his neck, despite knowing Serena would scold him. Being a vampire sounded kind of cool at first, but after what he almost did to Serena last night, he wasn't willing to take the risk of hurting her or anyone else. Jersey sighed and looked at a beam of light that came in through a crack in the covered window. The color was orange, which meant sunset.

"We'd better go. Where are we gonna find this fang faced freak?" Jersey asked.

"According to the research I've done, vampires usually like to sleep in places that are dark, damp, and filled with decay." Serena replied. "So probably a crypt or something."

"Hm… there's an abandoned crypt outside of town," said Jersey. "It used to be overrun with zombies and bats."

"Sounds like the right place, lets go!" Serena said. Jersey nodded, then picked her up and headed to the window before taking flight.
~<>~
Landing outside the massive crypt, Jersey set Serena down on the moist grass in front of the large, rusty gate before walking through it. He looked around to the now quiet graveyard, remembering how when he had first been here it had been swarming with zombies, bats and ghosts.  Jersey flexed his wings as he heard Serena walk up behind him and look around.

"So this is it?" she asked.

"Yep." Jersey said.

"Ch-Cheery place…" she said. Jersey chuckled and shook his head.

"If you're a vampire, I guess," he said.

"Speaking of tall, dark and creepy," said Serena. "How are we going to find him?"

"When I came here the first time, there was only one crypt I never visited." Jersey explained, walking onwards. Serena followed as he walked up a hill, then just over the rise of it, she saw a small stone structure that looked something like a pagoda, but with a large stone slab at the bottom. She gulped as Jersey walked over to it and threw his weight against the slab, moving it aside to reveal a staircase. Jersey bared his new fangs and snorted at a rank, damp smell that wafted up from the darkness below, and Serena coughed.

"I… I guess this is the one," she said.

"Yeah," said Jersey. "Now I just gotta figure out how I'm gonna kill this guy…"

"Not to worry, I brought along everything we'll need!" Serena said, opening her backpack and showing what she brought. "Wooden stakes, crucifixes, holy water, a few silver objects, rings of garlic—"

"Ssssss!" Jersey covered his face with his wings and jumped back when she produced the garlic. Serena gasped and stuffed it back into her backpack quickly.

"S-Sorry, I forgot you're technically a vampire too!" she exclaimed. Jersey coughed and waved a hand in front of his face.

"At least we know the stuff works," he said. Serena frowned.

"Sorry JD…"

"S'alright." Jersey replied. "Listen, Harps, it might be safer if you stayed up here. If I don't kill this vampire, I'd hate to put you or anybody else in danger."

"Jersey, there's no way I'm staying up here. Besides, if you don't kill him it won't matter." Serena said, smiling and taking his hand. "You'll still be my friend."

Jersey blushed, but hid it with a smile and nodded. Serena nodded back followed him as he started down the stairs. Jersey kept his grip on Serena's hand as they descended, wanting to keep track of her in the dark, and make sure she didn't fall. Serena pulled out a flashlight and pointed it ahead of them as they continued on downward.

"I sure hope the vampire is still here!" she whispered.

"He's gotta be, that crypt was still shut when we got here." Jersey said.

The two finally reached the bottom of the stairs and found themselves before a large hallway. Serena shone her flashlight down it and started to walk forward, but Jersey stopped her.

"Turn it off, he's in there," he whispered.

"How do you know?" Serena asked.

"I can… smell him." Jersey said, shuddering. "And he seriously needs a bath! Here, hand me one of those stakes." Serena pulled one out of her backpack and handed it to him. "Thanks, now stay here."

"But JD…" Serena started.

"Just stay here," he insisted again. "It might not be safe!"

"Well… alright, but please, JD… Be careful." Serena said. Jersey nodded to her then moved down the hall as quietly as he could.

Jersey felt his tail curled as the smell strengthened and the temperature dropped to the point where he could nearly see his breath. Jersey rubbed his nose with his free hand and looked at the stake in his hand as he reached the end of the hall and the room that stood there. In the center of the room was a large, elaborately carved stone coffin, with the lid still shut. Jersey took a deep breath, stepping forward with the stake raised, then she pushed the lid off and lunged forward…

Only to freeze, finding that the coffin was empty.

"What the…" Jersey looked around quickly, preparing himself for a sneak attack, whilst his heart pounded at the thought of the vampire being gone for the night. Yet he could still smell him somewhere close by… When a loud scream suddenly split his thoughts and he jumped, dropping the wooden stake.

"Serena!!" he exclaimed and bolted back down the hall. When he arrived at the end, he saw Serena being held by the vampire, his arm around her throat. He hissed.

"Let her go!" he growled. The vampire looked at him.

"Ah, the devil from All Hallows Eve… So good of you to drop in, you even brought a snack!"

"I said, let her go!" Jersey yelled, his voice echoing through the crypt. The vampire chuckled, not noticing Serena reach into her backpack and remove a piece of garlic. She swung her hand up and shoved it into the vampire's face, and he released her with a scream, swatting madly at the anti-vampire condiment while Serena ran forward over to Jersey.

"Are you okay?!" Jersey asked urgently.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine!" Serena nodded as Jersey stepped in front of her, the vampire coming back to his senses.

"You… will regret that, my dear," the vampire hissed.

"You'll have to go through me first!" Jersey growled.

"As you wish!" The vampire said, then hissed. Jersey hissed back as he and the vampire circled each other. Serena stayed back and watched, grimacing as the two suddenly lunged at one another's throats. Jersey wasn't as strong as this first vampire, but he knew what he was doing, so Serena kept her distance until Jersey needed her.

Jersey grunted in pain as the vampire tackled him back into one of the walls, with his hands around Jersey's throat. Jersey growled and rammed his head into the vampire's, knocking him back. He then tackled the vampire into the opposite wall, which broke apart, and the two landed back in the room with the coffin. Jersey coughed away the dust and tried to rub some from his eyes that temporarily blinded him.

"I must admit I'm impressed at your strength even if you're not a full vampire yet," the vampire said from the shadows. "But why do you fight it? Think about all you could have, all the power! You could even make your girlfriend one of us, and live together forever!"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Jersey snapped, his cheeks heating up as he blinked away the last of the dust in his eyes. The vampire shook his head.

"Very well then, if you are not an ally to me freely, then you will be one by force!" he hissed. His eyes flashed red and Jersey felt the two bite marks on his neck burning him to the point of writhing on the floor in pain. The vampire glared and hissed.

"Obey, you foolish devil! Obey!" he roared.

"Obey this, you batty bloodsucker!" Serena shouted from the side, then threw one of the rings of garlic she was carrying at him. It wasn't a direct hit but none the less he retreated away from Jersey and lost his concentration. Jersey shook his head rapidly as Serena ran over to him and helped him up.

"Are you alright?!" she asked.

"Oh, swell…" Jersey said sarcastically, glaring at the vampire as he growled at the two and jumped at them. Jersey shoved Serena aside and took the hit, getting himself knocked into the stone coffin with the vampire on top of him, trying to choke him again.

"You were a waste of my bite, devil!" the vampire roared. Jersey glanced over to the side at Serena, but something else caught his eye instead. He smirked and looked at the vampire.

"Bite this!" he cried, then grabbed up the stake he dropped earlier and slammed its point into the vampire's chest as hard as he could.

The vampire shrieked out in pain and threw himself back, but too late. He fell on his back, thrashing back and forth as his skin started to crack, dust leaking out of each new one that appeared. Serena grimaced and stepped back against the wall as the vampire rolled onto his side and attempted to crawl, but within seconds there was nothing left but a pile of dust and pieces of bones. Jersey winced as he felt the two marks on his neck burning, and his hand flew up to cover them, cursing under his breath as he did. Serena looked at him.

"J-JD?" she stammered, her knees literally quaking. He looked at her.

"I… I think its over," he said, reaching into his mouth to feel for the fangs.

"We'd better make sure." Serena said, reaching into her backpack. "Think fast!" she hollered, chucking something at him. Jersey gave a jerk and reached up to catch it, then realized it was one of the pieces of garlic. He stared at it for a moment, tossing it from hand to hand and then sniffing it. So far he felt no reaction other than normal, but just to be safe…

He broke off one of the cloves and tossed it into his mouth.

"Yuck!" Serena said, sticking her tongue out in disgust. Jersey chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed and grinned.

"Not bad!" he said.

"So… you're okay?" Serena asked, a smile coming to her face.

"I guess I am!" Jersey reached up and untied the bandage from around his neck, feeling for the two bite marks, but couldn't find them. He laughed and fist-pumped the air triumphantly.

"Awesome!" Serena cried, running forward and embracing Jersey, laughing joyfully. Jersey blushed, but returned the hug before pulling back.

"Lets get out of here, Harps," he said. "It may be vampire free but it still gives me the creeps!"

"Me too!" Serena replied, turning towards the exit and following Jersey out.

Suddenly, there was a low, yet loud growling noise that caused her to jump back and drop her flashlight. Jersey looked at her, putting his hands against her back to keep her from falling on him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"D-Didn't you hear that?!" she asked.

"Sure I did, that was my stomach." Jersey said calmly. Serena sighed and rubbed her temples.

"That stomach of yours… one day it's going to be the death of me!"

"Yesterday it nearly was!" Jersey said jokingly as the two began to walk up the stairs out of the crypt. Serena glowered at him.

"Just come on," she said.

Upon arriving near the top of the crypt, Serena could see the light of morning pouring in through the opening she and Jersey had come through earlier. She let out a sigh of relief at the thought of being in fresh air again instead of this mustiness. Flipping the switch on her flashlight to off she let her eyes adjust to the light as they exited the crypt, when suddenly she heard Jersey scream behind her. She turned around to find him cringing in a ball on the ground, his wings over his face and in full view of the sunlight. She gasped in horror and quickly rushed to his side.

"Jersey!!" she cried in terror. Jersey gave another cry of agony, that suddenly and shockingly, turned into a stifled snicker, then an all out giggle. He lowered his wings and winked.

"Got ya!"

Happy Halloween!