Free Kindling by Abigail Colucci

cocky attitude to bother me. I was so utterly confused I couldn’t hold in my emotions anymore. I was on the verge of tears and I think Braith must have noticed.
    “Okay,” he said. He paused a really long time. “First off, you fight like a man.”
    I wrinkled my face up and groaned. What a sexist ass he was! “You’re such a jerk,” I said.
    “That’s not what I meant, god, that’s not how I meant it,” he sighed and clutched his hip. “I meant you were phenomenal back there, you kicked ass. You held them off and they were wounded, Kit! Oh my god you wounded one of them. You have no idea, but that’s like next to impossible, especially to someone not fully trained.”
    “You’re stalling,” I said. “Just tell me what’s going on.”
    “Yeah,” he grinned. “I’m stalling a little, but I mean it. You fight unbelievably.”
    I shrugged and looked away. “Thanks,” I said.
    He continued walking. “I’ve never had to tell anyone before. Most people I deal with already know what’s in store for them.”
    “Know what?” I said. I gritted my teeth, trying not to get too aggravated, but he was making things difficult.
    “Do you know who Heike is?” Braith asked.
    I shrugged and sighed. “He’s my father?”
    “Yes,” Braith said. “But do you know his name? His last name?” I shrugged and shook my head. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something but then closed it and stopped walking. He looked at me kind of funny. “Kit, he’s a Van Helsing,” he finally said. “His name is Heinrich Van Helsing
    There was an ever-so-slight recognition in that name, but I couldn’t really place it. “I don’t understand what his name has anything to do with anything,” I sad.
    “Americans,” Braith grumbled. Oh, I couldn’t stand him and I rolled my eyes. “He’s a Vampyre Hunter. We’re both Vampyre Hunters.”
    “Vampyre hunters,” I repeated and nodded. He let me think about this for a minute but, honestly, I didn’t know what to think. Mainly, I thought he was insane and it made me a little nervous that my parents were okay with him walking me home. I didn’t know how to respond to something that absurd. “Oh. Okay,” I said. If he expected me to believe that he was smoking crack or something because that was ludicrous.
    “God, I suck at this,” Braith said. “I should just let Heike explain everything.” He paused for a minute or two as we walked to my house. I didn’t know whether to run from him or just let him try and explain some more until I could get into the house and lock myself in my bedroom. Finally, Braith said, “Who do you think they were, then?”
    “I don’t know, Braith. Vampyres are totally logical, sure. Let’s go with that,” I said, quickening my pace.
    “What, are you nervous?” He said. He looked around, then realized I was trying to get away from him. “You think I’m crazy, don’t you?” I didn’t answer and just kept walking. “God, they were vampyres, Katherine. That’s why they came after you. Because you’re Van Helsing’s kid. And ...” he paused.
    I stopped walking when he said ‘Katherine.’ No one has ever called me that, even though it’s technically the name on my birth certificate. I’ve been Catalina since infancy. “And, what?” I said to him.
    “And Heike will explain more,” he said.
    “So, okay,” I said. We were standing in the middle of my street. The moon was full and large so the night was incredibly bright. I could see my house from there, but I wanted to be clear on a few points. “You want me to believe that, A, there are vampyres in the world even though, no, no there isn’t and, B, that my biological father is Heinrich Van Helsing, a Vampyre Hunter?”
    “Well, when you say it like that it sounds so implausible,” Braith said. The corners of his mouth turned up ever so slightly and I was sure he was making fun of me.
    “Don’t give me any of your crap.” I said. “Who are you? Really? Who